one of his (Mr. Polanski) ever most beautiful and disturbing movies is Tess from 1979. It's about the life of the beautiful Tess Durbeyfield , played by Nastassja Kinski .
Tess is based on "Tess of the D'urbevilles" by Thomas Hardy, one of Mr.Hardy's most tragic novels.
Tess is the daughter of the poor John Durbeyfield who learns from the local priest that he is related to ancient nobility, the last of the D'urbevilles.
On receiving this information John Durbeyfield and his wife suggest to Tess that she approach the D'urbevilles in the area, so that they could get their share of the wealth.
Tess is as a beautiful girl, with "large innocent eyes"; as she is on the verge on womanhood. She is very sensitive and this is revealed through her emotions for her family. She is embarrassed and ashamed of them and yet rushes to their defence when they are criticized.
Alex, Mrs D'urbevilles son, pursues her and he seduces her in an unpleasant way which makes her move back home. Tess gets pregnant and delivers a baby that dies in infancy , Alex never finds out.
Tess moves away to become a milkmaid and meets and falls in love with Angel, a loving and tender young man. However Angel unearths the truth about Tess's past, and he leaves her to a life of drudgery and finally the arms of the brutal Alex, who she lives with to support her mother and other siblings.
This entire film like the novel focuses on the subject of fate, how fate affects our lives, how certain events and people lead us to the places we find ourselves in. Is there a universal fate that we cannot avoid in our lives, regardless of the choices and decisions we make in life?
Tess is bound by the rules and contstraints of the society she is living in and this sets the melancholy mood which flows through the story with great strength.
Angel comes to realise his mistake on judging Tess for her past alone and he comes back to rescue her too late.
Definately a movie to go rent. It's a very sad movie, and Tess gets to live a Very Sad life, and sort of shows how life not always ever turns out to be great.
xx
4 comments:
Hello Alice
wow this is a very nice blog you have here. You have this very feminene and yet raw style in the most of the stuff you post. it is inspirering.
best of luck, Karina
it is an amazing and disturbing book. i have read it and refuse to pick it up again or see the movie because it just made me feel so depresses\d!
YOUR IMAGES ARE AMAZING, REALLY
Thank you All.
Yes, i tend to be a romantic, but sometimes one with disturbing thoughts that does make me unhappy. I tend to Love movies that end tragic, or rather I feel drawn to them.
xx
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